LONDON ROTARY CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 145, 16 December 1924, Page 6

LONDON ROTARY CLUB

-PRESENTATION FROM NEW

ZEALAND

a Wembley . slogan, .. ■.

(FROM OUR OTC.W CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 4th November.

: The London Rotary Club, which every Wednesday" holds-;a luncheon -at the Hotel Cecil, had •as its chief speaker in 29th October Colonel/A. E. Roberts, the New Zealand Exhibition-Commissioner. About 400 were present, „ including it ;numb"er.-'of "guests ''from :New< Zealand, ;Cariada,'and the United States. ■ Among ■the Americans. .\vas> Mr. Sinclair Lewis, •the/well-known-, novelist. The president of-the club; is'Mr; L. G. Sloan, J.P., the head of the Waterman fountain-pen, .pany in .London.: ■; .-•■;■ _■ ' ''''.:'

; - Mr; Roberts,/in the.course of a halfaddress, succeeded ■'admirably in giving an interesting, outline of .the' •Dominion of New Zealand,", "and its activities, in trade' and-attractions.' He ■said'that,;New,.Zealand"h'ad: cdme.to : be, ; known- in London as the "Brighter.'Brits: am of -the: South," which, of v course, meant that there was;, more . sunshine .there 'than' in the-Motherland. ■'In. size,-; : it- was -about;the same .extent, as-Great: Britain;, and was ■ therefore ■ not sb':.big. .asits""big brothers;','• Canada,:and-Ans"-tralia, but, .like them, it looked 'upon Britain as the x"old man." New Zealand has towards the Mother .Country •feelings of; the greatest affection, and; it■was remarkable;that when, anyone,-.from ■the Dominion spoke of a-!visit to"Eng-7 ,I'and it ■ was "'always" iif'terms of'"going Home"; and-undoubtedly Britain was Home to every New. Zealander. The ; Dominion-was 99 per cSnt. British, and ; there waVno native problem as in "some 'of the'other-Dominions. -,:■' :.■.;.

"KEEP THE MONEY/. IN THE : v-' FAMILY"

New. Zealand!s .trade, last, year .reached' the high sum of £96,000,000, of which about 80 per. cent, or more came to" the United' Kingdom. (Loud;applause.);This/ he; thought, was a remarkable feat.for a''country with so comparatively. small -a population' as New Zealand:".. RefernD'g to .some remarks of. Mr. Baldwin that "Britaitr.sh.ould l.lbplr -..after, the-j.family first," he said that he could not touch on subjects which-had become political, but' whetherr.j^ew. Z'ealaUd're'ceive'd" preference from Great Britain "or not,., the Dominion/-he felt surei would continue what, it was already-doing in that direction.. (Applause.) The Wembley slogan had grown up. during the' Exhibition : t "Keep the: money in ; the ■.- family. '■' : (Cheers.)/:! He thought- the ;.had undoubtedly'assisted" the: promotion of this idea. "' . ' ■ .-■'.. ..

Speaking of the scenic attractions of New Zealand, Mr.-, Roberts said that it was a pocket edition.of the world whicli had the"; lakes .of- Italy, ..fiords "of Norway, mountains Switzerland, ~ the down's of England, and thermal regions unsurpassed anywhere.; .Being a restricted area, New Zealand could not iake' the-vast-number-of-emigrants that:other, countries were able to. and absorb theni" economically;;; It • was . about 10,000..a year, which wss its capacity-to assimilate and - provide with homes and .work,'but: it might reach 70,000; ,"•'- In some '.remarks upon Tto.tary in New Zealand,. Mr>-.. Roberts -said .that they were', trying, to ,develop on.the lines 'of the English clubs, arid he put in a plea for some closer, link between the two bodies, 'suggesting".that', the system" 'of honorary membership should be inaugurated. (Applause^) ,He 'asked them to think this :suggestion over. •; '.'■.,-» ..!..

'.Mr.' Roberts then calleion two' Wellington ■ Rotariaris; -Mr.. G. ■W. Salmon and -Mr. Teagle, 'who- were r present," to stand.up and support. him \\ while y he handed the'- president, on. behalf of the London -club;-■ a beautifully carved -wooden mere, which had been sent-to hint .by the Wellington Club for presentation.1 He explained,.what the- merej was.jmd the Maori wording upon it—which meant that'it was for the chieftain, of the L'on-. don Rotary..Club.from Poneke (Wellirtg-j ton);:. „.;., .;.; ..;,. " _--;. . ' -.'__ ';

.; The presentation .was received 'with .very warriiuapplause,:; arid "the. chairrih'ah' •assured. Mr. ;Rdbertsv.that it. woald always be retained as _an. emblem, of-the affection 'of their in New land. ■ . - - ' ■; .

A very hearty vote of thanks'was-iac-■corded- Mr.- Roberts for his interesting address. '■ . : ; -I- ; . : , ... . ' ?,